WhatsApp has a new update which could annoy users who prefer not to get constant notifications from group chats.

The app will now let users in the same group chat 'tag' each other, and the person tagged will now get a notification even if they have muted the conversation.

It has also expanded the maximum amount of people in a group chat from 100 to 256.

The feature works on Android and iOS, but not on the web app.

WhatsApp introduced the feature so people don't have to scroll through many messages in a group chat to get to the ones concerning them.

They intend users to read mainly the messages directed at them.

To tag someone, the user only has to type @ then their name.

As on other social media platforms, the tag then offers you a choice of people to tag.

More than one person can be tagged in each message - and they don't need to be in the other person's address book, just in the same group chat.

The only way to turn off the tagging feature is to leave the group chat or to disable notifications entirely from WhatsApp - which could be annoying for the people users are chatting one-on-one with, as messages from them could be missed.

The messaging app previously added a feature which let you quote specific messages to make it clear who the user is replying to.